Overview
Conserving natural spaces conveys benefits far beyond the gains to wildlife and their habitats. As scores of studies show, protecting and restoring lands and waters, particularly when done in close partnership with local communities, also improves people’s lives—and local economies—by increasing tourism and outdoor recreation.
Pew works in the U.S. and across the globe to preserve our natural resources, with a focus on the majestic landscapes of North America, South America, and Australia.
The Pantanal and Gran Chaco represent two ecologically distinct yet interconnected landscapes—the world’s largest tropical wetland and one of the most extensive dry forests—which, together, help conserve biodiversity, store carbon, regulate water flows, and provide critical habitat for a wide array of species.
The cold, nutrient-rich waters off British Columbia and Alaska are home to some of the most spectacular and diverse marine ecosystems in the world, featuring more than 500 known seaweed species, from smaller red and green seaweeds to towering giant kelp that can grow as much as 2 feet a day.
The Pantanal and Gran Chaco represent two ecologically distinct yet interconnected landscapes—the world’s largest tropical wetland and one of the most extensive dry forests—which, together, help conserve biodiversity, store carbon, regulate water flows, and provide critical habitat for a wide array of species.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic chemicals that were created in the mid20th century and quickly became popular for their water-, grease-, and stain-resistant properties. A growing body of research has linked certain PFAS to various health issues.
Across Arizona, wildlife-vehicle collisions undermine public safety and incur economic costs, especially where highways cut through key wildlife migration routes. Species such as elk, mule deer, pronghorn, and desert bighorn sheep need connected landscapes to move between seasonal habitats for food, water, and breeding. When roads bisect these wildlife corridors, wildlife-vehicle collisions and habitat fragmentation increase.
Our Work
Good health is important to everyone. Pew conducts research and provides information and fact-based recommendations to state agencies, hospitals, researchers, and other health partners to help them provide better care. We find and share evidence-based practices to improve Americans’ health and well-being, including services that can prevent suicide, improve mental health care, and treat substance use disorder.
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Communities throughout the country share common needs: affordable connections to broadband Internet, modern and reliable energy infrastructure, effective responses to mental health challenges, and ways to resolve legal disputes more quickly and fairly. To address these issues, Pew collaborates with states and local governments to find and promote evidence-based solutions that help provide stability and opportunity.
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Nonpartisan, fact-based improvements in federal policy can create jobs, lower costs, and help the nation prepare for the future. When our research shows that small changes can have a big impact, we work across party lines to improve national challenges like housing affordability, internet access, energy reliability, and health care.
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Economic opportunity is the foundation of American society. Pew supports national, state, and local efforts to expand opportunity and promote financial well-being. Our work helps people pay off student loans, navigate court proceedings such as debt collection, buy or rent a home, access affordable internet, and save for their retirement.
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The global ocean teems with life, and it contributes to the vital cycles that keep people and our planet healthy. But the seas are vulnerable to overfishing, loss of habitat such as seagrasses and mangroves, ineffective fisheries management, plastic pollution, and declining biodiversity. These mounting losses affect the coastal communities that depend on the ocean for food and jobs.
Latest In Protect Marine Life
States and cities are the “laboratories of democracy” in America—the places where lawmakers and governors look for new ways to help their communities succeed. Whether in Pew’s hometown of Philadelphia or any of the 50 state capitals, we help elected leaders respond to the needs of their citizens, use public dollars wisely, fix outdated policies, and build a better future for all.
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Conserving natural spaces conveys benefits far beyond the gains to wildlife and their habitats. As scores of studies show, protecting and restoring lands and waters, particularly when done in close partnership with local communities, also improves people’s lives—and local economies—by increasing tourism and outdoor recreation.